Numerous absorbent devices have been devised for a variety of applications in the medical field. Their chief objective involves the control of body fluids, particularly by absorbing such fluids. Some absorbent devices are designed to also apply pressure to body tissue in order to control the flow of body fluids, such as blood. These absorbent devices are highly beneficial, for example, after or during surgical procedures, as well as in treating a body wound.
An important function to consider when using such absorbent devices is their tendency to adhere to the body area at which they are placed, if they remain at that position for any length of time. The healing of the tissue or other tissue change, together with the absorbent device drying out, results in the absorbent device becoming attached to the body's skin or tissue. When it is time to remove the device from the patient, pain, significant discomfort, or bleeding can be experienced by the patient due to the removal of the device from a sensitive or tender body area.
The adherence between the absorbent device and the body area is typically caused by the material of the absorbent device that contacts the patient's skin or other tissue. In order to alleviate this adherence, it is known to utilize a non-absorbent material or layer outwardly of the absorbent material. This layer prevents adherence of the absorbent device to the patient's body area. To permit access to the absorbent material, it is necessary that some holes be formed through the non-adhering layer to the absorbent material beneath the non-adhering layer. In one device that uses such a non-adhering layer, at least one side, preferably the longitudinal side, of the absorbent material is laminated with a non-adhering layer. However, not all outer surfaces are laminated.
Notwithstanding the variety of medical absorbent devices that have been advanced for absorbing body fluids, it would be beneficial to provide such a device that further enhances the non-adhering feature associated with absorbent packs. In that regard, it would be advantageous to provide an absorbent pack that further reduces or eliminates any contact between the body area and the absorbent material itself.